Ben Askren on DFW okaying bout vs. Jake Paul

Former ONE Championship welterweight champion Ben Askren was traded to the UFC for GOAT candidate, former flyweight champion Demetrious Johnson. "Mighty Mouse" has gone 3-0 in ONE, winning the flyweight grand prix, and fights for the ONE title vs. reigning champion Adriano Moraes on February 24. Askren beat Robbie Lawler, and then lost to Jorge Masvidal and Demian Maia, and retired.

However, Askren remained under contract with the UFC, and his contract prohibits competing in other combat sports. Thus there surprise when it was announced that Askren would be boxing YouTube personality Jake Paul in a boxing match. During a recent interview with Mike Bohn for MMA Junkie, Askren discussed how UFC president Dana White okayed the bout.

“He does not seem to like Jake Paul too much, that’s seeming to be totally true,” said Askren “We had a nice phone call. Probably the most cordial phone call Dana and I have ever had. … Both Dana and Hunter [Campbell] were relatively easy. They didn’t really have many complaints. They signed off on pretty much – there was some annoyingness with [promoter] Triller was looking at a whole bunch of different dates, so I had to get a bunch of different dates approved, so that was kind of difficult a little bit, but besides that, everything was all smooth."

Askren's boxing is something like Derrick Lewis's Jiu-Jitsu, and betting odds favor Paul, but "Funky" is taking it in stride.

“The one thing that is most annoying – and I try to never get annoyed with what people are saying because I know people on the internet are very stupid so I try to kill them with indifference as I learned when Aaron Rodgers says – in my entire MMA career, in all the sparring I’ve done in my career in the gym, I’ve been rocked one time and it was against Jorge Masvidal,” Askren said. “That was it. I never got buckled, I never got clipped, I never got knocked down. The notion that I’m easy to hit or easy to knock down is ridiculous. I don’t think you could say very many fighters that have had 20-plus fights that have never been knocked down or knocked out one time in their entire career.”

Paul is attempting to crudely coax Askren into a bitter Twitter quarrel, but the former Olympic wrestling isn't biting.

“Have you ever seen me get all that upset?” asked Askren. “When you realize someone is doing something simply for the sake of trying to f*** with you, why would you let him f*** with you? That’s about as stupid as it gets.”

Askren doesn't promise a quick fight.

“It’ll probably maybe be relatively competitive in the first couple rounds [until] he starts to slow down and I start to land a lot more punches, a lot of volume,” said Askren. “The seventh round I’m going to TKO him and he’s going to wish he was still a Disney kid star.”

What do you think UG? Who wins it?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bpwPK6jqsHA&feature=emb_title

I think Askren will win.

-GG

Paul KOs him inside 3 rounds. I’ll put a SN bet for 60 days. Obviously I’ll honor it lol.

KHABIBsandBLASTEDmyBUTThole -

Paul KOs him inside 3 rounds. I’ll put a SN bet for 60 days. Obviously I’ll honor it lol.

I'll take Askren. 

Uncle Tom Doug -
KHABIBsandBLASTEDmyBUTThole -

Paul KOs him inside 3 rounds. I’ll put a SN bet for 60 days. Obviously I’ll honor it lol.

I'll take Askren. 

You’re on

KHABIBsandBLASTEDmyBUTThole -
Uncle Tom Doug -
KHABIBsandBLASTEDmyBUTThole -

Paul KOs him inside 3 rounds. I’ll put a SN bet for 60 days. Obviously I’ll honor it lol.

I'll take Askren. 

You’re on

![](upload://lXZ7FWaHpUbiekv6AImddn8gwjP.gif)

1 Like

Ben seems to be underestimating this kid.

Askren is going to beat the piss out of him

Has Askren ever punched anybody before?

I remember his fight with Jay Heron was mostly standing and Ben won a 5 round decision.

KirkBJJ -

Has Askren ever punched anybody before?

Lol

Misaki - I remember his fight with Jay Heron was mostly standing and Ben won a 5 round decision.

If you say so i thought Heron won.

KirkBJJ -

Has Askren ever punched anybody before?

Lmao

![](upload://vPP4J12hs6zmmqRGfwm6WAk3MP8.gif)

Askren is going to dump on this dumbass

all askren needs to do is clinch with him for 4 rounds and then hell win…it isnt rocket science

Askren was knocked down in Bellator, by an upkick I believe. He always seems to forget that. lol

Askren is a horrible boxer, but he knows how to nullify striking.  He can't take him down, but he'll clinch with him and hang on him to wear Paul down.  A short time training to box cannot make up for a lifetime of the wrestling grind.  Paul will be exhausted after a few rounds and Askren will smother him after the 6th round and tko him.

KirkBJJ - 

Has Askren ever punched anybody before?

LOL

Completely depends on how much clinching the ref will allow. Ben hasn't been rocked in many fights but how many mins of those fights was a stand up battle? In a real fight Ben would embarrass Jake and they both know that. Strictly boxing though, that's a tough one for Ben. If his strategy is basically be a human punching bag and clinch for the first 5 rounds and hope Jake gets tired so he can start landing pitter patter shots I don't see it going so well for him. I'm rooting for Ben and hoping he has a few tricks up his sleeve for this one.